Gileadites

Gileadites are the inhabitants of Gilead, a region described in the Hebrew Bible as lying to the east of the Jordan River in the ancient Levant. In biblical narrative, Gilead is associated with the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh and other communities that settled east of the Jordan. The precise boundaries are not uniform across sources, but the area is commonly characterized as mountainous and pastoral, sometimes linked with the broader Transjordanian landscape.

In biblical history, the Gileadites appear in several chapters of the Books of Judges and Kings. They are notably represented by Jephthah, described as a mighty man from Gilead who becomes a leader of Israel in conflicts with the Ammonites, highlighting Gilead’s role in early Israelite diplomacy and warfare. The term “Gileadites” is used in these texts to denote people from this eastern region rather than a single unified political entity.

Cultural and linguistic associations with Gilead include the phrase the balm of Gilead, a resinous substance valued in antiquity for its healing properties. This compound contributed to a broader symbolic frame in later literature, where Gilead is sometimes invoked as a metaphor for healing or remedy.

In contemporary literature, the name Gilead is used as the fictional theocratic state in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale (1985). In that work, citizens and supporters of the regime are referred to as Gileadites, reflecting the regime’s nationalistic and uniform identity.

Etymology-wise, Gilʿad is a Hebrew toponym. The exact meaning is debated, but it is generally linked to the landscape and the region’s historical associations.